These Dying Moments
by ChinaDollMaiden
Summary: He wasn't sure what it was that attracted him to her, but he knew from that moment, he loved Hermione Granger. Cedric/Hermione.
1. Welcome To Hogwarts

**Hello all! I know, I know, I should be writing the chapters for my OTHER fanfictions, but I am just totally into this pairing right now. Hermione is, like, Harry Potter's Sakura. She can be paired with ANYONE.**

**But yeah, I originally had this idea for a Dramione fic, but then I started liking CedXMione. So I stole my own idea. Most of this story will be in Hermione's POV, but I will try to alternate between the two. Maybe even Harry or Ron's POV every now and then. Oh, and I don't really DO POV, cuz I hate it, so it'll be sorta like POV, but in third person as apposed to first person. Teehee, and I'm changing a few things in this story!  
**

**This pairing is taking over my LIFE. And I'm loving it. Anyways, Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING except the plotline. Everything else belongs to the beautiful, talented J.K. Rowling. Thank you JKR for making this series so awesome.**

* * *

Hermione tentatively put a foot into the swaying boat, keeping her eyes locked on the enormous castle that was across the lake. Just as she'd read in the books, it towered over the lake, the windows glowed with a warm, inviting yellow haze. No doubt from the fiery lanterns and enchanted ceiling candles she'd read about.

The two boys she'd met on the train, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter, of all people, followed her into the boat, fingers slightly trembling. She gazed at The Boy Who Lived, her eyes following the sharp turns of his scar. She admitted, he was fairly good looking for an eleven year old. Far better than the redhead with the dirt on his nose. But it's not like she could talk. Her frizzy mane of wild, mousy brown hair nearly doubled the size of her head, and her teeth were rather large.

The large man in her boat, Hagrid, cupped his hands beside his mouth and bellowed out an order.

"All 'ands inside the boat. Would'n want yer teh to be fallin' out now!"

Ron, who was reaching his hand to dip his fingers in the black murky water, withdrew his hand as if it were burned. And with those words from Hagrid, the boats began to float toward Hogwarts.

* * *

Cedric Diggory sat at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall, chatting among his friends. It was his third year at Hogwarts. Dumbledore sat at the Professors' table, waiting fort he first years to make their entrance and begin the Sorting. A dull roar echoed in the Great Hall, as the different houses whispered about the first years who were still to come. Just in front of the Professors' table, a stool was settled on the cobblestone ground, and sitting on the stool was the Sorting Hat.

Cedric's attention was ripped from his friends to the entrance doors, and McGonagall walked gracefully into the Hall, behind her first years poured in. His eyes roamed the sea of first years, hoping that a majority of them would be sorted into his own House. McGonagall reached the front of the Hall, and the Sorting Hat opened it's mouth.

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
_ But don't judge on what you see,_  
_ I'll eat myself if you can find_  
_ A smarter hat than me._  
_ You can keep your bowlers black,_  
_ Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
_ For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
_ And I can top them all._  
_ There's nothing hidden in your head_  
_ The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
_ So try me on and I will tell you_  
_ Where you ought to be._  
_ You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
_ Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
_ Their daring, nerve and chivalry_  
_ Set Gryffindors apart;_  
_ You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
_ Where they are just and loyal,_  
_ Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
_ And unafraid of toil;_  
_ Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
_ If you've a steady mind,_  
_ Where those of wit and learning,_  
_ Will always find their kind;_  
_ Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
_ You'll make your real friends,_  
_ Those cunning folk use any means_  
_ To achieve their ends._  
_ So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
_ And don't get in a flap!_  
_ You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
_ For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The unsorted First Years were gaping at the talking hat, save for a few who knew of the old Hat. They applauded loudly for a few seconds, before the noise died down. McGonagall pulled a scroll from within her robes.

"When I call your name, you will com forth. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. And you will be sorted into your Houses." She unrolled the Scroll and looked at the first name.

"Hannah Abbott!"

Cedric watched the small blonde girl nervously walk up to the chair. She sat down, and the hat was placed on her head.

"Hmm...yes, yes...I see...HUFFLEPUFF!"

Cheers erupted from Cedric's table, as well as himself, as little Hannah jogged over and sat between two second years.

"Susan Bones!"

The hat only took half the time it took for Hannah, and it shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" More cheers burst from the Hufflepuff's mouths, as Susan sat across from Cedric, beaming.

"Terry Boot!"

"RAVENCLAW!" The table is blue stood up at once, cheering for young Terry.

This process repeated for a few minutes, with the count. Hufflepuff had three first years, Ravenclaw had six, Slytherin had four, and Gryffindor had only two.

"Hermione Granger!"

A small girl with wild brown hair emerged from the crowd, trembling. She took her seat on the small stool, her feet dangling above the ground, wringing her hands nervously. Cedric watched the girl, her large, pretty brown eyes dull with anxiety. Professor McGonagall placed the old, torn hat onto the nervous girl's head.

"Ah, right, then. Hmm, right. Okay..."

Cedric watched the girl bite her lip anxiously, hoping for the right choice. Cedric felt his breath hitch in hopes.

"...GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione hopped off the seat, and the table in red stood up and cheered wildly as she ran over and sat two seats down from Percy Weasley. Cedric felt his breath return to him. Though he was disappointed that she wasn't in his house, he was certainly glad she wasn't in Slytherin. Those were the nasty sort. The Sorting continued.

"Daphne Greengrass."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Wayne Hopkins."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Megan Jones."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Su Li."

"RAVENCLAW!"

It continued, with cheers from all the tables erupting each time a first year joined them.

"Draco Malfoy."

Cedric recognized the name Malfoy. A pureblood name. Pureblood like himself, but unlike the Diggorys, the Malfoys looked down on Muggles and Muggleborn, whom they liked to call 'Mudbloods'. In all history, each member of the Malfoy family had been sorted into Slytherin, and Cedric doubted this boy would be any different.

His silver blonde hair was slicked back, showing his pale skin and steel gray eyes, only slightly lighter than Cedric's own eyes. McGonagall began to lower the hat onto the boy's head. The hat had barely touched his head, before it shouted "SLYTHERIN!" It was as though the hat hadn't wanted to come in contact with the young Malfoy's head.

The Sorting continued, and Cedric found his attention drifting over to the Gryffindor table and directed at the young Hermione Granger. Her hair was like a lion's mane, which made him think how well suited to Gryffindor she was. Her front teeth were on the large side, but overall, she was a cute girl. But his thoughts on her were interrupted by a name called out for Sorting.

"Harry Potter."

Whispers rose from every table, filling the room to the enchanted ceiling. Cedric stared at the young boy who stepped forward. So this was Harry Potter.

This was The Boy Who Lived.

* * *

"_Not Slytherin, not Slytherin..._" Harry said in a whisper, his eyes screwed tightly shut.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" the Hat exclaimed, still pondering which house to put him in. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know," the Hat said, which seemed to be unheard by anyone else int he Hall, "It's all here, in your head. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, there's no doubt about that."

Harry was still chanting in his head, _Not Slytherin_.

"No?" The Hat said. "Well, if you're sure. Better be..."

_Not slytherin!_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He let out the breath he was holding, a severely relieved look on his face. He stood up and raced over to the table in red, joining Hermione.

* * *

The sorting ended with Ron Weasley sorted in Gryffindor and Blaise Zabini in Slytherin. The final tally; Hufflepuff had eight, Ravenclaw had ten, Slytherin had nine, and Gryffindor had eight. Cedric smiled warmly at the new Hufflepuffs, who smiled shyly back, and, in the girls' cases, blushed. Cedric was handsome for a third year. His honey brown hair was medium length and messy, and his eyes were warm and welcoming for their color, a chilling steel gray. He had a defined jaw and a long, handsome nose. His skin was pale, but not as pale as Malfoy's.

Cedric turned his attention back to Hermione for a few seconds, admiring her knowledge of Hogwarts, form what he could hear, before it was stolen by McGonagall tapping her spoon lightly on her glass goblet.

"Your attention, please."

Once everyone's attention was at the table, Dumbledore stood, and held his hands out.

"Let the feast...begin!"

As soon as those words left the headmaster's mouth, every empty platter on each table was filled with foods of all kinds. Chicken, corn, potatoes, ham, bread, fruits and vegetables...it was certainly a delicious sight. Hands flew over the table, grabbing their favorites and placing them on the plates in front of them. Cedric watched the astonished faces of the first years brighten, and in realizing their own hunger, they grabbed what they desired and began to eat. He glanced at the Gryffindor table, and Hermione Granger caught his eye again.

Across from her, Ron Weasley had a chicken leg in each fist, and looked like he was eating as fast as he could, as if he thought the food would disappear before his eyes. He grimaced a bit, and turned his attention back to the girl across from the redhead. She ate like a normal girl, not quite messily, but not quite neatly either. At least she wasn't like Hannah Abbott, who was barely eating anything that she put on her plate.

Cedric grabbed a bit of corn and some chicken before reaching for a dinner roll. He heard a yell of surprise from the Gryffindor table, and he looked over for the fifth time that evening. Ron Weasley had attempted to grab a chicken leg, but dropped it in surprise as the ghostly head of a man popped up from the plate of drumsticks.

"Hello! How are you?" The head spoke, quite cheerfully for someone who was supposed to be dead. "Welcome to Gryffindor!" The head looked up to the ceiling, and a woman in a long Victorian style gown floated silently down to the Ravenclaw table.

Cedric laughed as a Ghost began whooping and rising from the floor holding a mug. Down at the Slytherin table, a ghost laughed heartily, swinging a Rapier Fencing Sword that obviously couldn't do the students any harm. Ghosts began pouring in from every surrounding wall, from the ceiling above, from the floor and windows, too, welcoming the newcomers.

"I know you!" Cedric heard Ron exclaim. "You're Nearly Headless Nick!" The ghost scowled.

"I prefer Sir Nicholas, if you don't mind." he said, with a slightly insulted tone. Cedric saw Hermione open her mouth.

"_Nearly_ Headless? How can you be _nearly_ headless?" she said. Cedric chuckled, admiring her curiosity and bravery to ask Nicholas such a question. Sir Nicholas just shrugged.

"Like this," he said, burying his fingers in his gray curls and smoothly pulling his neck from his shoulders. The neck held on by the tiniest bit of flesh, so he wasn't completely headless, but when he pulled his head off, it revealed bloodied flesh and bone. Ron yelled out again, and Hermione merely closed her eyes with a shudder, and turned away.

* * *

The feast continued until it was late at night, and Dumbledore ordered the Prefects to take the first years to their dormitories. Percy stood, beckoning the first years to follow him. Hermione stood, eager to follow Percy and head to her dormitories so she might sleep. She brushed past a handsome Hufflepuff with brown hair, who looked to be about in his third year, and hurried after the redheaded Prefect.

"Keep up, please," Percy called over his shoulder. Behind her, Ron rolled his eyes. They reached the Grand Staircase, and Hermione gaped in awe. The stairs led all the way to the very top, and to her surprise, some staircases _moved_!

"This way to the Gryffindor Dormitories," Percy said, "Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases. They like to change." Hermione took note of this, and followed behind Percy. Someone behind her whispered, 'That picture's moving!' and she looked up. Sure enough, a majority of the paintings were very animated indeed, even holding light conversation with each other and a few students.

Percy soon led them through a long empty corridor, and stopped in front of a painting. This painting was of a large lady in a pale pink Victorian dress, with pearls adorning her neck and dark hair in perfect ringlets.

"Password?" she said in a voice that was deep with age and wisdom. The students looked nervously amongst themselves, but Percy looked completely confident.

"Caput Draconis."

The lady raised one eyebrow, but swung her painting open to reveal a cozy looking room with antique carpets, draperies, and yet more moving paintings. it also had a fireplace, with a couch and several comfortable armchairs surrounding it, and a few tables and cabinets here and there. Straight ahead, however, was a set of stairs. Percy walked up to said stairs.

"Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Boys' Dormitory is up these stairs to your left; Girls, the same on your right." The children chattered excitedly, all tired. "You'll find all your belongings have already been brought up."

Percy walked past the first years, turning around to say one thing.

"Tomorrow is your first day of class. Sleep well, and don't be late." Ron rolled his eyes again, as Percy stalked off. Hermione walked up the stairs, and took a right, just as Percy had instructed the girls to do. She marveled at the many beds for the Gryffindor first year girls, though there were only three of them, and three of the beds wouldn't be needed. Hermione chose a bed next to the wall, and she changed into suitable sleeping clothes. Exhausted, she slipped under the warm burgundy blankets, and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Oi, Cedric!"

Cedric turned in his bed to face Kenneth Towler, another Hufflepuff third year.

"We got quite a few first years this year, eh?" Cedric nodded in agreement. "So, Cedric, what do you think the chances of the first years sneaking away to the third floor corridor are?"

Cedric laughed. "One hundred." Kenneth chuckled, about to turn over, when Cedric spoke up. "So...Harry Potter."

"Hm?"

"Harry Potter. He's one of the first years."

"Ah, yeah. The Professors must have great expectations of him, eh?"

Cedric nodded.

"Hey, Cedric." Kenneth whispered. "You kept staring at the Gryffindor table, and something tells me you weren't starin' at Potter." Cedric's face heated. He had hoped no one would have noticed. "You got the hots for one of those Gryffindor girls?"

"...Maybe," he chuckled, "Maybe."

* * *

The next morning, Hermione rose later than she would have liked, but certainly earlier than Lavender and Parvati. She wanted to look her best for her first day of class, and she certainly wanted to be fully prepared. She shrugged off her pajama top and shimmied out of her pajama bottom, exposing herself to the slightly cooler than comfortable air. She shivered, digging through her trunk to find her uniform.

She finally found it, her dark gray, nearly black pleated skirt and matching sweater, which was decorated with a red collar and waist line to represent her house. She slipped them on, then pulled on a pair of long dark gray knee socks, and over that some black mary-jane shoes. And the final touch, her red and gold Gryffindor tie, which she tucked into her sweater, and she slipped on her robe.

She turned to her bag, and in it, she put her parchment, red feathered quill and ink, her class books, and anything else she might need for class. It was nearly time for class, and Lavender and Parvati hadn't yet awoken, so Hermione walked over and gently shook the two awake. She told them what time it was, and the two shot out of bed, grateful for her wake up call. Hermione brushed her hair until she deemed it suitable, then set off before any other first years were even ready.

She took out her schedule. Her first class, Transfiguration, was taught by Professor McGonagall. She looked forward to this class. But there was one problem.

She had no idea how to get there.

She scratched her head confusedly, wishing she had a map. A map would be great right about now.

"Lost, are we?"

Hermione jumped at the smooth voice behind her, and she whipped around. There stood that handsome Hufflepuff she has bumped into in the Great Hall the other day. She opened her mouth, but not much came out.

"Uh...hi." she croaked out, a little embarrassed. The boy smiled, shaking his head. He held out his hand.

"Cedric. Cedric Diggory." he said, hand still held out. Hermione looked at his face, then at his hand and back. She reached out.

"Hermione Granger."

Cedric's hand was finally filled with Hermione's. Her hands were soft and warm, and smaller than his by far. He smiled warmly at her.

"Gryffindor, right?" he asked her. She nodded, her hair shaking with her head. Cedric pointed to his collar line, which was a canary yellow. "Hufflepuff."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Cedric recovered.

"So, what are you doing out here? You should be on your way to class," he teased, knowing she was lost. "Are you lost?" Hermione scowled, quite cutely, he might add, before answering.

"Yes, I'm lost." she pouted. Cedric laughed, taking her schedule and looking at her first class.

"Transfiguration, eh?" he said. She nodded. "I can get you there." Hermione beamed at him.

"Th-thank you!" Cedric nodded.

"Follow me." he said, and began walking. They had barely walked three feet, when Cedric stopped. "We're here." he said, pointing to the classroom Hermione had been standing in front of originally.

"You mean...this is it?" she asked, disbelieving. Cedric nodded. "The classroom I've been standing in front of all this time it where I'm supposed to be?"

Cedric couldn't help it, he started to laugh. Hermione pouted, stomping her small foot at him.

"Don't laugh!" she said, huffing. This only made him laugh harder. Hermione turned around to hide it, but she was beginning to feel giggles bubble up in her throat herself. Once she calmed herself down, she turned around.

"Thank you...um..."

"Cedric." he reminded her. Hermione nodded, trying to memorize the name.

"Cedric. I'll see you around." she called over her shoulder, walking excitedly into the classroom. Cedric's laughing died down, and he walked away, a smile on his handsome face.

He was beginning to like this Hermione Granger.

"Good morning, class."

Professor McGonagall greeted her new students. She waved her wand, and on the blackboard, words formed in her handwriting. They weren't too complex or too long, and Hermione smiled. This was right down her alley. The other students groaned.

"For now, I would like you all to take out your parchment and copy this down." McGonagall said, and with those words, she transformed into a cat and climbed onto her desk. The children whispered for a moment, before they settled down and began taking notes. Hermione glanced around the room, noticing something. Ron and Harry hadn't arrived yet. She began to worry for them, afraid they wouldn't find the classroom, but she shrugged it off and focused on her notes.

Not long after she had that thought, the two boys jogged in, out of breath. They slowed to a halt. Ron opened his mouth.

"Made it!" he exclaimed, still breathing heavily. "Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?" he asked Harry. Hermione shook her head. He had no idea.

They looked at the silver tabby on the desk, but were surprised when it jumped off the desk and transformed back into Professor McGonagall in midair, and quickly walked over to their sides. Ron was surprised, to say the least.

"That was bloody _brilliant_!"

McGonagall was not flattered. "Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley." she said. "Perhaps it would be more useful if I transfigured Mr. Potter or yourself into a pocket watch? That way _one_ of you might be on time!" she quipped, yet calmly doing so. Harry chose this time to speak.

"We got lost..." he said, trailing off. The Professor's frown deepened.

"Then perhaps a map?" she suggested, "I trust you don't need one to find your seats." With that, she walked back to her desk. Ron and Harry looked at each other, a look that clearly read 'busted' on their faces.

* * *

Hermione survived the next class, Potions, down in the dungeons. The Slytherins were rightfully at home, as their common room was in the dungeons. What she disliked most about this class was it's Professor, Severus Snape. He openly ridiculed Harry in front of the class for not paying attention, when what he was really doing was writing down Snape's every word. He made it seem as though Harry thought he was famous, therefore could do whatever he wanted. Harry obviously wasn't like that.

It was lunch time, and Hermione sat a few spaces down from Harry and Ron. Seamus Finnigan was sitting across from them, trying out a spell.

_Eye of rabbit_  
_Harp string hum_  
_Turn this water_  
_Into rum_

"What's Seamus trying to do to the water?" Harry questioned, which was directed at Ron. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Turn it to rum," he said exasperatedly. "Actually managed a weak tea yesterday, before-" Ron was cut off by a sharp bang and a flash of light. There sat Seamus, his hair singed and black, face smudged with black and smoke rising from the goblet of what was once water. Laughing rang through the hall, but was interrupted by the screeches of owls.

"Mail's here!" Ron exclaimed, as uncountable owls soared in from the windows. Small boxes and packages fell from the birds' talons into the waiting hands of the students. Hermione was surprised when an owl dropped a letter into her hand.

"Hey, look!" Dean Thomas exclaimed, staring at Neville Longbottom, "Neville's got a Remembrall!"

Hermione perked up. "I've read about those." she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "When the smoke turns red, it means you've forgotten something."

Neville sighed. "The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten."

Neville was half interrupted by Harry, who had borrowed Ron's copy of _The Daily Prophet_, and had apparently found something of interest.

"Somebody broke into Gringotts! Listen," he told Ron, "_believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist nothing was taken._" he cleared his throat and continued. "_The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that very same day._"

Hermione was intrigued by the discovery, when Harry continued.

"That's odd..." he said, "that's the vault Hagrid and I went to."

Hermione turned her attention back to her letter, but then felt the stare of someone's eyes on her. She looked up, and saw Cedric, the Hufflepuff boy who she'd met that morning, who quickly snapped his gaze away to hide it.

She'd have to keep an eye on that one.

* * *

Next was their Flying Lesson, with Madam Hooch.

"Good Afternoon, Class." said a woman in a stern voice with short, spiked silvery hair, lips pursed, and yellow, catlike eyes.

"Good Afternoon, Madam Hooch." the class chorused, separated in two lines facing each other.

"Good Afternoon, Amanda," Hooch greeted Amanda individually, before turning to the others. "Welcome to your first Flying lesson!"

The students looked less excited than she had hoped.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick." The students obliged, but rather slowly. "Come on, now, Hurry up!" The students rolled their eyes.

Madam Hooch looked pleased enough now. "Stick your _right_ hand over the broom, and say UP."

Harry, who was standing of Hermione's left, tried it.

"Up!"

The broom zoomed into his open hand on the first try, and Harry grinned in amazement. Hermione stared at him. How did he do it? No matter, as long as she wasn't doing as poorly as Ron. No matter how hard he tried, all the broom did was roll on the grass.

"Up! UP!" Ron cried, until his broom came flying up to whack him in the nose. Harry laughed at his friend, and Ron scowled.

"Shut up, Harry."

"Now," Madam Hooch cut in, "once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it." The students did as instructed, Hermione a bit reluctantly. She was afraid of heights.

"Grip it tight," Hooch barked, "You don't want to be sliding off the end."

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. Her grip was already tight from fear. "When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground _hard_." Hermione felt a lump form in her throat. "Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment..." Madam Hooch was demonstrating with her own broom, "...then lean forward, slightly, and touch back down."

Hermione felt a sweat break out on her forehead.

"On my whistle..."

Oh no. Oh no!

"3, 2..." A shrill piping noise came from the long golden instrument in her hand, and she had barely whistled, when Neville began rising off the grass far too quickly. He looked terrified to be that high off the ground, and he whimpered. He kept rising until he was high above the other students. The broom swung about, spinning him in circles in barrell rolls. The broom, seemingly jinxed, began to bang against the stone walls of the Hogwarts castle. His broom changed courses, and flew full speed toward the class.

Madam Hooch stood before the students, brandishing her wand, but had to dive out of the path of the rogue broomstick. Neville's broom flew until his robe had caught on a statue. He hung, suspended in midair for a few moments, before his robe tore a bit, causing him to fall, and catch on an extinguished torch, before he slipped right out of his robe, and he came crashing to the ground.

"Everyone, out of the way!" Madam Hooch growled, and she raced over to where Neville lie motionless on the path. She began to lift him, when he whimpered in pain. "Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist. Poor boy." she said, lifting him as carefully as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Malfoy lean down and pick up something small and round.

"Everyone is to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing," she barked. "Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say _Quidditch_." she threatened.

The class looked at Malfoy, who was smirking where Madam Hooch had been seconds ago.

"Did you see his face?" Malfoy asked, "Maybe if the fat lubber had given this a squeeze," he said, holding up Neville's Remembrall, "he'd remember to fall on his fat arse." he joked, causing the class to giggle a bit. Harry growled, pushing his way past students to Malfoy.

"Give it here, Malfoy!"

Said Slytherin turned around, glaring at Harry.

"No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," he said, wrapping his legs around his broom and lifting into the air. "How about on the roof?" he teased. Draco flew perfectly up into the air. "What's the matter, _Potter_?" he spat, "Bit beyond your reach?"

Harry began to mount his broom. Hermione gasped.

"Harry, no way! You heard what Madam Hooch said!" she scolded, "Besides, you don't even know how to fly!"

Harry ignored her warning, and glided into the air to follow Malfoy.

"What an idiot."

* * *

Cedric was in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, taking notes. He was a good student, for the most part. But today, he couldn't get that Hermione girl out of his head. Teasing her this morning was beyond enjoyable, and she was rather cute for a first year.

Something moving outside the window caught his eye. He looked over, and saw two first years on brooms. One was Malfoy, and the other Potter. He wasn't sure what they were saying to each other, but he was positive it was an argument, judging by their expressions. He saw Malfoy shrug, open his mouth with a casual look on his face, then turn around and fling something nearly unnoticeable into the air. Cedric, however, was the Seeker for the Hufflepuff's Quidditch team, and saw that it was a Remembrall. Harry scowled, taking off after it.

He saw Harry zoom at full speed toward what looked like the window of McGonagall's office, and stopped, doing a forward flip just before hitting the wall. He grinned, shining the Remembrall in the sunlight, before gradually descending. The first years cheered, this he could hear through the windows, as he touched down. But faster than he thought possible, McGonagall was outside, striding toward the group.

Cedric could not hear her, but knew she called the boy by his name. The boy followed McGonagall into the building that he was in. Cedric turned his attention back to Professor Quirrell's Lesson, but was surprised when McGonagall appeared in the doorway a few minutes later.

"Professor Quirrell, excuse me," she apologized, "but may I borrow Wood for a moment?"

"Y-Yes, of c-course," Quirrell stuttered. A tall boy with thick eyebrows stood and followed McGonagall into the hall.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood," she introduces him to Harry, and Cedric raised an eyebrow, wondering what she could need with Wood, when she revealed it.

"Wood, I have found you a Seeker!"

* * *

Cedric sat in the Transfiguration courtyard on the stone bench, reading from a book, when he heard Harry's proud voice along with Ron's.

"A Seeker? But first years _never_ make the House team!" he exclaimed, beaming at his friend, "You must be the youngest Quidditch player in a-"

"Century," Harry finished for him, "according to McGonagall." Cedric saw Fred and George, the Weasley twins in the same year as himself, approach Harry and one of them placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey! Well done, Harry, Wood's just told us!" Harry gave Ron a questioning look.

"Fred and George are on the team too," he explained, "Beaters."

"Our job is to make sure that _you_ don't get bloodied up too bad!" they laughed. "Can't make any promises, of course. Rough game, Quidditch."

"Brutal!" the other twin spoke up. "But no one's died in years. Someone will vanish occasionally."

"But they'll turn up in a month or two!" the other called after him as they went their separate ways. Harry's face was no longer proud, but anxious and worried. Ron comforted him.

"Oh, go on, Harry! Quidditch is great. Best game there is, and you'll be great too!"

Cedric watched intently as Hermione got up from her seat and caught up with the two, smiling.

"But I've never even played Quidditch, what if I make a fool of myself?" Harry asked. Cedric smiled as Hermione interjected.

"You _won't_ make a fool of yourself. It's in your blood."

The two boys raised their eyebrows, and Hermione beckoned at them to follow her. They shrugged, and followed. Cedric slyly stood up and followed. The cute girl led them to a trophy case, and pointed at the team positions. Ron gaped.

"Woah, Harry...you never told me your father was a Seeker, too!"

"I...didn't know." he said, gazing at the small plate that read _Seeker, James Potter, 1970_.

* * *

"I'm tellin' you, it's Spooky!" Ron cried, as Cedric followed Hermione and the other two first years. "She knows more about you than _you_ do!"

"Who doesn't?" Harry said, but then cried out as the staircases jolted and moved.

"The staircases change, remember?"

The stairs stopped in an abandoned looking hallway. Harry motioned with his head, and moved on.

"Let's go this way, before the stairs change again." The two followed his lead, and Cedric realized too late where they were. He tugged on Hermione's arm, who jumped, but was quiet enough not to attract Harry or Ron's attention.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be here." Cedric half scolded, half warned. "This is the third floor corridor." Hermione gasped in realization. Ron's voice echoes in the creepy hall.

"Does anybody feel like we shouldn't be here?"

"Of course..." she whispered, "We're not _supposed_ to be here. This is the third floor, it's forbidden!"

All four pairs of eyes looked up as one of the torches suddenly lit.

"Let's go-" But Harry was cut off by a loud meow. They turned to face the main coon, whose red eyes burned curiously. Hermione gasped.

"It's Filch's cat! Run!"

They turned around, running down the hall, torched lighting as they passed them. Cedric spoke up for the first time to the two boys.

"We'll hide in this door." he said. Ron was astonished that he was there, but tried to open the door, nonetheless.

"It's locked!"

"That's it...we're done for!" they cried, and Cedric's mind was racing, but was disrupted by Hermione's commanding voice.

"Oh, move over!" The three boys complied, giving her space. She pointed her wand at the lock and said the incantation, "_Alohomora._" The door clicked, and swung open. They all hurried in, shutting the door behind Cedric.

"Alohomora?" Ron said as if questioning her sanity. She rolled her eyes

"_Standard Book of Spells_: Chapter Seven." she stated. Cedric's ear was pressed against the wooden door.

"Sounds like Filch is gone." he said. "He probably thinks this door is locked."

"It was locked-" Hermione said, but Harry interrupted.

"And for a good reason." They all followed his gaze to look at an enormous three headed black dog. It seemed to be asleep, but slowly stirring. It yawned, it's breath stirring Hermione's hair. Cedric instinctively put an arm in front of her. The dog snarled and growled, and the first years screamed. Cedric merely opened the door and pushed them all out, attempting to close the door behind him, but the dog's muzzle was trying to get to them, and it was doing a fine job of it. Harry and Ron began to push on the door, and it snapped shut.

"What do they think they're _doing_, keeping a thing like _that_ locked up in a school!" Ron bellowed, breathing heavily.

"You don't use your eyes, do you?" Hermione snapped at him. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"I wasn't looking at it's feet! I was a bit preoccupied with it's heads!" he said, as Cedric accompanied them on their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, to make sure they stayed out of trouble. "Or maybe _you_ didn't notice: There were_ three_!"

"It was standing on a trap door. It wasn't there by accident." Hermione said, attempting to reason with Ron. "It's guarding something."

"Look, whatever, figure it out tomorrow, just go to bed!" Cedric half shouted, and they obliged.

He thought back on how she took charge of the situation back when she used the _Alohomora_ spell to unlock the door. A girl in charge...interesting.

* * *

Hermione woke up the next morning trying to figure out exactly what the dog was guarding. What could it be, what could possibly be worth guarding with a three headed dog?

"Hermione," Cedric called. She turned around and let him catch up. "I found you, finally. Where are Harry and Ron?"

"Harry's out learning about Quidditch, and Ron...well, I don't know that Ron's doing." Hermione said. "Listen, I can't talk now, I _need_ to get to Charms class soon!"

"Then tell me when you _can_ talk!" Cedric pleaded, walking in front of her. Hermione groaned exasperatedly.

"After the Halloween Feast tonight, now _move_!" she hissed, entering the Charms classroom. She sat down between Harry and Ron, and got out her wand. Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw House, was the teacher.

"One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation, or the ability to make things fly," he began. "Do you all have your feathers? Good." he said when Hermione showed him her feather. "Now, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing. The swish and flick. Everyone, now!"

"Swish and Flick!"

"Good. Oh, and enunciate. _Wingardium Leviosa_! Off you go, then."

Chants of _Wingardium Leviosa_ filled the room. Ron who hadn't even been trying for two minutes, quickly became frustrated.

"_Wingardium Leviosar_!" he said, and began furiously whipping his wand to and fro. Hermione flinched.

"Stop -_ Stop_. You're going to take someone's eye out," she scolded, "And you're saying it wrong. It's _Leviosa_, not _Leviosar_." Ron glowered at her.

"_You_ do it then, if you're so clever." he challenged, "Go on, _go on_!"

If that's the way he wanted to play, then so be it. Hermione performed a lovely swish and flick movement, before casting the spell.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_."

The white feather quivered a bit, but then it surely floated and rose high above her head. Everyone stopped trying to watch Hermione's performance.

"Well done! See here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Hermione smirked at Ron, who pouted, folding his arms and resting his chin on his stack of books. Seamus, who seemed motivated now, gave it a go.

"Wingard Leviosa, Wingard..."

"Well done, my dear-" Flitwick was cut off by a large explosion coming from Seamus' feather.

* * *

Cedric sat in the stone courtyard, reading from his Potions book, when a high male's voice rang out.

"It's _Leviooosa_, not _Leviosarrr_!" Ron said mockingly to Harry, Seamus and Dean. Cedric didn't even have to ask to know that he was making fun of Hermione. Ron didn't seem to realize, however, that Hermione was walking right behind them. "She's a nightmare, honestly! No wonder she hasn't got any friends." Cedric felt his fists clench as Hermione picked up her pace, intentionally bumping into Ron on her way.

"I think she heard you," Harry said.

* * *

Cedric was glancing at the Gryffindor table all during the Halloween Feast. The children were happily munching on candy and licking their ice cream. No one really seamed to notice Hermione was gone, even in her own House, except for Harry.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked. Neville looked about warily, as if he were about to say something he shouldn't.

"Parvati Patil said that she wouldn't come out of the girls' bathroom. She said that she'd been in there all afternoon, crying."

Cedric was worried now. What if something happened, something bad, something-

"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" Screamed Professor Quirrell, bursting into the Great Hall.

-like that.

"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" he stopped yelling, and Dumbledore stood up, shocked. "Thought you ought to know..." Quirrell whispered before fainting.

A few seconds passed, before anyone reacted. But when they did, it wasn't good. Everyone stood up, throwing their treats on the table and abandoning them, running for the doors, until Dumbledore bellowed a command.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone turned around, completely quiet.

"Now...Prefects will lead their House back to the Dormitories..." he waited a moment, "Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

After another moment, everyone began walking. Percy took absolute control.

"Everyone keep up, please, and _stay alert_!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked Ron.

"Not on it's own. Trolls are really stupid, probably people playing jokes." Ron answered, before they continued walking. Until Cedric caught up with them.

"Harry, Ron!" he half shouted. When he caught up, he whispered, "Hermione, she doesn't know!" Looks of absolute horror crossed their faces, and they raced off to find the girls' bathroom. A few corridors down, they stopped, feeling the floors tremble and shake. Cedric looked ahead, and saw the shadow of a large, beastly creature dragging something on the ground.

"I think the troll's left the dungeon." Ron said. Way to state the obvious.

"Looks like it's headed for the Girls' Bathroom!" Harry whisper-shouted, waving at them to hurry.

* * *

Hermione had been crying all day, and she decided it was time she left the bathrooms. She couldn't stay there forever, after all. She emerged from the stall she had been in, rubbing her eyes and sniffling. But when she looked up, it was not what she was expecting to see. Before her stood a huge, ugly, snarling mountain troll, a wooden club in it's three-fingered hand. Her breath hitched, and she ever so slowly backed away. It wasn't until her back hit the stall door when she took action.

Hermione swiftly turned around, opening the stall door and rushing back in. She barely had time to duck when the troll used it's enormous club to obliterate the top halves of all stalls. She let out a terrified shriek, and covered her head as wood and splinters showered over her.

Cedric burst in first, then Harry and Ron. Harry saw Hermione laying on the floor, terrified.

"Hermione, move!"

She tried to do so, but the troll smashed more of the stalls, preventing it.

"Help!" she cried, immobile. Cedric frantically searched the room, and then picked up a piece of debris. He aimed carefully, and chucked it at the troll's head. Harry and Ron caught on, and began throwing things as well, though their aim lacked.

"Hey, Pea-brain!" Ron called, finally getting the Troll's attention. Hermione took this time to try and crawl to safety, but the troll noticed. When Hermione looked up again, the troll was aiming for the sink she was cowering under. She screamed, crawling as quickly as she could under the next one, just before he smashed it.

"Help!"

Harry ran up and grabbed onto the troll's club. Said troll swung his club up, and Harry's grip slipped, causing him to land on the troll's shoulders. The troll swung his head wildly, trying to find Harry, and then, something disgusting happened. Harry's wand had been jammed up the troll's nose. The troll thrashed about, trying to dislodge the wand, but grabbed Harry from his shoulders and held him upside down, poised to swing with his club.

"Do something!" Harry shouted, lifting himself up to avoid the swinging club.

"What?"

"_Anything_!"

Ron's eyes glanced about, when he pulled out his wand.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Ron shouted, pointing his want at the troll's club. The troll swung to hit Harry, but then he slowly realized his club was no longer in his hand. He looked up dumbly, as Cedric crept over to collect Hermione. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to safety. Ron canceled the spell, effectively dropping the club on the troll's head. The troll swayed, moaning, until it tumbled to the ground. Cedric was clutching Hermione tightly in his arms as she breathed heavily.

"Is it...dead?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.

"I don't think so, just knocked out," he replied, walking up to retrieve his wand. He pulled it from the troll's nostril, a loud slurping noise coming from within the troll's nose. "Ugh. Troll Bogeys."

At that moment, McGonagall ran in, and jumped back in surprise.

"Oh my goodness," she gasped, "Explain yourselves, the three of you!"

"Well, what it is-" Harry, Ron and Cedric began, but were intercepted by Hermione.

"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall."

McGonagall looked heart broken. "Miss Granger?"

"I went looking for the troll. I've read about them and thought I could handle it." she said, thinking it all up. "If Harry, Ron and Cedric hadn't found me, I'd probably be dead."

McGonagall gasped.

"Be that as it may, it was an extremely foolish thing to do." she scolded. "I would have expected more rational behavior on your part, and I am _very_ disappointed in you, Miss Granger." She glanced at the three boys in front of her. "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment."

She returned her attention to the boys. "As for you three gentlemen..." they braced themselves for the worst. "...I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first or third year students could take on a fully grown Mountain Troll and live to tell the tale!" They looked at their feet, ready for their punishment.

"Five points...will be _awarded_ to each of you." the three boys grinned. "For sheer dumb luck!"

Cedric made his way to the Gryffindor table, wanting to speak with the three of them.

* * *

"Take a bit of toast, mate. Go on." Ron urged Harry to eat his breakfast.

"Ron's right, Harry. You'll need your strength today." Hermione urged with Ron, because today was Harry's first Quidditch game.

"I'm not hungry," Harry said, the nervousness affecting his appetite. Cedric sat down at the table, smiling at the three of them, but frowning when Snape approached the table.

"Good luck today, Potter," Snape falsely encouraged him. "You've proven yourself against a troll. A Game of Quidditch should be easy work. Even if it is against Slytherin." he said, glaring about the surrounding students, before stalking away with a limp.

Harry watched Snape's walk, and squinted his eyes.

"That explains the blood."

Hermione and Cedric looked at him questioningly, while Ron was still watching Snape leave.

"Blood?"

"Last night," Harry began to explain, "I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion, so he could get past that three headed dog. _But_, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping."

"Why would anyone go near that dog?" Cedric asked.

"The day I was at Gringotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults. Said it was Hogwarts business, _very_ secret."

The three nodded, urging him to go on.

"So you're saying-" Hermione began.

"_That's_ what the dog's guarding. _That's_ what Snape wants."

They stared suspiciously at the figure leaving the Hall, when the cry of an owl called their attention. It was Hedwig, and she was carrying a large, long package. She dropped it in front of Harry.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Cedric wondered out loud.

"But...I _never_ get mail," Harry said.

Ron stared at it for a moment. "Let's open it!"

Together, they pulled away the strings and paper wrappings to reveal a long, sleek, fast looking broom.

"It's a broomstick." Harry said in awe. Ron and Cedric were even more impressed.

"That's not just a broomstick, Harry, that's a Nimbus 2000!" Cedric exclaimed, examining the tail bristles.

"But...who sent it?" Harry asked. He heard Hedwig screech again, and McGonagall was waving at Harry.

* * *

The players of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, led by Oliver Wood with Harry close behind, walked behind the doors, in position. Oliver saw Harry's nervous form.

"Scared, Harry?"

He gulped. "A little."

"It's alright. I felt the same way before my first game."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"I, uh, don't really remember. Took a bludger to the head two minutes in. Woke up in the Hospital a week later."

Harry's eyes went wide with fear. But that fear was replaced with excitement as the wooden doors opened, and he could hear the cheers of the fans in the stands.

* * *

**And that is all for now! Pretty long, huh?**

**Longest chapter I've ever written.**

**Sorry Cedric isn't involved much. He will be more next chapter.**

**Ta ta for now!**

**~China**


	2. The Stone

**And voila! Chapter two! I promise, there will be more Cedric in this chapter, though maybe not as much Hermione. And this will probably cover the rest of the first movie.**

**I've only gotten a few reviews, but wow! I never expected such wonderful reviews from all of you! Thank you so much!**

**Well, thank for reading, I couldn't do this without you! Love you all!**

**DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing but the plot. That all still belongs to JKR.**

* * *

Cedric was lingering on the edge of the Hufflepuff's Quidditch stands, listening to the deafening roars of the Houses cheering for one of the teams. Most of the Hufflepuffs were rooting for the Gryffindors to win, and the Ravenclaws as well. Slytherin was most certainly unpopular amongst the other houses. He stood, gripping the end of the railing, squinting his eyes, looking for Hermione, who was all the way across the field in the Gryffindor section. At first, he couldn't spot her. Then, he saw that bushy mane of hair blowing in the wind.

Cedric sat right on the border between the Hufflepuff stands and the Ravenclaw stands. He was about to sit down in his seat, when a classmate of his accidentally bumped his back with his elbow. He stumbled, crashing into a Ravenclaw. She cried out in surprise and her hand flew out to brace herself on the railing. Cedric looked over to apologize.

"Sorry, my mistake," he tried. He recognized this girl. Long black hair, black eyes, pale skin...this was none other than Cho Chang, second year Ravenclaw Seeker. It was her first year as a seeker, and she still had yet to play in a game.

"It's alright," she said with a slight Scottish accent, which was strange for her heritage. The crowd roared even louder, and Cho pointed to the opened wooden doors, which had just been opened. Gryffindor players zoomed into the air. Oliver led, followed by Harry, the Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet. Lee Jordan turned on the ambient. He was the official Quiddditch game Narrator/Announcer, and he belonged to the Gryffindor House.

"Hello, and Welcome to Hogwart's first Quidditch game of the season!" The crowd applauded, and Jordan continued. "Today's game, Slytherin versus Gryffindor!"

Cheers erupted from the competing Houses, and Cedric saw Hermione waving a red and gold flag in the air to support her House. He smiled at her enthusiasm, but she didn't notice. She was far too busy rooting for Harry to pay attention to those not playing.

Captains of the teams, Oliver the Keeper and Flint the Chaser, flew down to the center Madam Hooch stood, waiting for them. Oliver Wood, being the more respectable player, walked closer and held out his hand to Marcus Flint.

"Good luck, Flint," Oliver said, hand still stretched out. Flint scowled, but it was well hidden behind a false smile, showing ghastly teeth.

"May the better team win." Flint finally shook hands with the opposing Captain, and they all mounted their broomsticks. The chest containing the Quidditch balls was lying in the center of the field. Madam Hooch gave it a simple kick, the hinges flung open, and two bludgers exploded from the box, as well as the untraceable Golden Snitch.

"The players take their positions as Madam Hooch step out onto the field to begin the game!" Lee Jordan's high voice echoes all across the field. The crowd went silent for a few moments, as Madam Hooch looked ready to speak.

"Now I want a nice, _clean_ game," she shouted above the dull roar that was the audience, "from _all_ of you." She gave the Slytherin team a warning glare, but the malicious team seemed to take no notice.

"The Bludgers are up, followed by the Golden Snitch," Jordan announced, "Remember, the Snitch is worth one hundred and fifty points. The Seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game."

Harry stared at the Slytherin Seeker, who had short blond hair and dark eyes, a menacing glare plastered on his face. Madam Hooch stepped up to the chest, and picked up the Quaffle. With a mighty heave, she tossed the red ball in the air.

"The Quaffle is released..." Jordan says as players from both teams began to dive for the ball, "...and the game begins!"

Angelina Johnson was the one to capture the Quaffle, nimbly dodging the other failed attempts at catching the ball. Gracefully avoiding bludgers, she zoomed toward the scoring hoops. She spun in circles, doing barrel rolls and loops in the air, dancing around the opposing players. She took a great risk, and fired the Quaffle with great strength from a far distance at the hoops. Many Slytherins tried to intercept the score, but failed, as it soared into the hoops.

"Angelina Johnson scores! Ten points for Gryffindor!"

The crowd went wild for the Gryffindor team. The Slytherins moaned, holding their heads, but still encouraged their own team. Jordan pushed a button down on the scoreboard, granting Gryffindor ten points.

"Slytherin takes position of the Quaffle," Jordan said dramatically to add depth to the game, "Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint."

Flint ducked to dodge a bludger that was aiming straight for his head, smiling maliciously. Alicia Spinnet, Gryffindor Chaser, approached Flint, but before she could get close enough to make a steal, Flint gave her a heavy kick to the stomach, and she spiraled away from him. The crowd gasped, appalled, save for the Slytherins, who cheered at their Captain.

Dodging another bludger, Flint closed one eye, took steady aim, and fired the Quaffle at one of the hoops. It looked as if he may have scored, but Oliver Wood flew in, flipping and hitting the Quaffle away with the bristles of his broom just in time. Fling growled in frustration, and Oliver gave him a small smile. After a few more moments of passing, stealing and dodging, Gryffindor scored another ten points. A Slytherin tried again at scoring a goal. Oliver Wood once again caught the ball, throwing it back.

"Give me that!" Flint roared at a Slytherin beater, snatching his miniature bat. A bludger zoomed in for Flint, but he swatted it away like a fly, aiming straight for Oliver Wood. The bludger hit right in Wood's abdomen, and he hurdled toward the ground. He hit the ground, dust and dirt spraying everywhere. Without a Keeper, Gryffindor was vulnerable, and Slytherin could make easy goals. Indeed, they made two goals, catching up instantly to Gryffindor.

Cedric saw something tiny near Harry's head flutter about, glinting in the sunlight. It was the Snitch!

* * *

Hermione watched, taking notice as Harry's attention was caught by something she just couldn't see. It must have been the Snitch. But suddenly, Harry's broom began bucking like a horse, threatening to throw him right off. Hermione pulled out her binoculars, and realized it was jinxed.

"What's goin' on wit Harry's broomstick?" Hagrid said, worried for the boy's safety. Hermione turned to Ron and informed him of the situation.

"It's Snape, he's Jinxing the broom!" she said in a whisper only he could hear. Ron cried out.

"Jinxing the broom? What do we do?" he said frantically. Hermione calmed him down.

"Leave it to me."

Hermione began weaving her way past students, ducking under waving flags, and dodging clapping hands. She reached the Hufflepuff section, and was on her way to Snape's position, when Cedric grabbed her arm.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" he questioned, a tiny bit suspicious. Hermione tried to escape.

"Professor Snape is jinxing Harry's broom!" she hissed, brushing him off.

"At least let me come with you, Hermione!" Cedric hissed back, strong-arming his way into the situation. Harry was now dangling from his broom. Hermione shouted.

"Alright, fine, just hurry!" she yelled, and scurried as fast as she could away from him. The faster they reached Snape, the better.

Cedric had to walk fast to keep up with Hermione. For a first year, she was rather speedy. He followed her adorable mane of hair until they were behind one of the stands. Hermione and Cedric just stood there. He tapped his foot impatiently.

"Well, what do you want to do about this?" He asked frantically. Hermione was searching her vast mind for a good solution to Harry's problem. She blocked out Cedric's intolerable scoldings, when she thought of a spell that just might do the trick. She pushed Cedric aside, who immediately quieted himself. She expertly pointed her wand at Snape's robes and performed the spell.

"_Lacarnum Inflamarae!_"

A bolt of fire shot from the tip of her wand, quickly setting the dark Professor's robes ablaze. She hung about nervously until she heard a few distressed voices.

"Fire! You're on_ fire_!"

Footsteps thundered above her, and she squinted through the gaps in the stairs. Sure enough, Harry was safely back on his broom, searching for the Snitch.

"Quick! We can't be seen down here!" Cedric told her, pulling her away. Together, they raced through the wooden panels and columns, looking for an open space to watch.

* * *

Harry was racing after the Snitch, hot on it's trail, but so was the Slytherin Seeker. The Snitch plunged downward, and the Seekers followed suit. Just as they were about to hit the ground, the Slytherin Seeker pulled away and drifted off the trail. Harry, however, pulled sharply upward, and placed both feet on the seat of his broom. There he was, balancing and reaching out with one hand to catch the Snitch...

He dove for it, and felt something large go down his throat.

Hermione and Cedric finally found a place to watch, just under Hagrid. They arrived just in time to watch Harry retching, clutching his stomach. They could hear Hagrid's booming voice.

"Looks like he's gonna be sick!"

Just as those words left Hagrid's mouth, a small and round golden ball emerged from Harry's lips with a small pop. After a moment, it sprouted long golden wings that were soaked.

"He's got the Snitch!" Jordan exclaimed, "Harry Potter receives one hundred and fifty points for catching the Snitch!"

Lee Jordan was interrupted by Madam Hooch's shrill whistle.

"Gryffindor WINS!"

Hermione couldn't help it, she screamed with joy, turning around and jumped into Cedric's arms.

"We won, we won!" she cried, giggling and cheering. Cedric stumbled at the sudden force thrust upon him, bracing his arms around Hermione to ensure she wouldn't fall.

Above them, they could hear the students chanting.

"_Go, go, Gryffindor! Go, go, Gryffindor!_"

* * *

"Nonsense!" Hagrid declared. "Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"

Cedric and Hermione were talking with Hagrid. Harry had already been congratulated, and headed off to the Gryffindor Common Room, with Ron in tow.

"Who knows," Hermione reasoned with Hagrid, "Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?" Hagrid looked shocked and astonished.

"Who told you about Fluffy?" he asked suspiciously. Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"Fluffy?" Cedric snorted.

"That _thing _has a name?" she cried. Hagrid scoffed at her foolishness.

"Well, o' course he's go' a name, he's mine." He took large strides toward his hut. "I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" Hermione urged him to continue and reveal what he was trying to say.

"I shouldn't have said that." he whispered half to himself, "No more questions, don't ask _any_ more questions. That's top secret that is." Cedric groaned.

"But Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it!" Cedric hissed, looking nervously about. Hagrid stopped walking and gave him a stern look.

"Codswallop!" he growled, "Professor Snape is a Hogwarts Teacher!"

"Hogwarts Teacher or not," Hermione stepped in, her knowledge coming in handy, "I know a spell when I see one. I've read all about them."

"Whaddya mean, Hermyonee?" Hagrid said. Cedric nodded at her, approving of her extensive research.

"You've _got_ to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking!"

"Exactly." Cedric confirmed.

Hagrid looked angrier than they had ever seen him, what was visible of his face from behind the massive, scruff beard turned a mad red color and his dark brown eyes squinted.

"Now you listen teh me," he said, "both of yeh...Yer meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in." He scolded the two of them. "It's dangerous."

Hermione knew that his severe anger was a good thing. Most people, when driven to such anger, would reveal things without even realizing what they'd said.

"What that dog is guarding is _strictly_ between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

Hermione and Cedric looked at each other, excited that they got a good piece of information.

"Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione questioned. Hagrid snapped from his moment of rage, and a look of worry replaced it.

"I shouldn't have said that. I should _not _have said that." Hagrid mumbled to himself, walking away before he revealed anything else.

* * *

A few months later, snow was coming down and coating the grounds in heavy blankets of white. It was nearly Christmas, and many of the students were leaving that very day to go home for the Holidays. Hagrid could be found outside, dragging in several freshly chopped pine trees to decorate the castle for those who were staying at Hogwarts for the holidays.

Cedric was sitting next to Harry, his head down and dozing off. Across from Harry was Ron. They were playing a board game.

"Knight to E5." Harry commanded, and a white knight slid on the board to the position he told it to. Ron furrowed his eyebrows, then made his decision.

"Queen to E5." A red queen slid forward, stopping a few spaces, before halting. The queen got off her throne, lifted the seat off the board, and utterly destroyed Harry's knight, taking it's place as Ron instructed it to. Hermione grimaced.

"That's totally barbaric!" she gasped. Cedric's heavy eyelids lifted at the sound of her voice. His face was scrunched in exhaustion, but when he saw Hermione, his face lit up.

"Hermioneeee." he mumbled, feeling very giddy. Hermione smiled at the third year. Ron was still hung up on her barbaric comment.

"That's Wizard's Chess." he corrected her. He glanced at her large suitcase. "I see you've packed," Ron said, motioning to her luggage.

Cedric's head shot up at the word 'pack'. Hermione was leaving for the holidays?

"I see you haven't." she replied just as quickly.

"Change of plans, my parents decided to go to Romania, to visit my brother, Charlie," he informed her with a smug undertone. "He's studying dragons there."

"Good," she said to Ron, nodding in approval, "You can help Harry, then. He's going to go to the library, looking for information of Nicholas Flamel."

"We've looked a hundred times!" Ron whined, rolling his eyes. Hermione looked suspiciously to both her sides, checking to make sure no one was listening in.

"Not in the Restricted Section," she said. Cedric smirked at her sudden naughtiness. "Happy Christmas."

Ron and Harry watched her walk away, and they turned to Cedric.

"You've had a bad influence on her, you have," they both told him, blaming it completely on him.

"Why me?" he asked them, giving both an innocent look before hurrying after Hermione. She moved surprisingly fast in only about thirty seconds, and he found her almost all the way down to the Hogwarts main entrance.

"Hermione, wait!" he coughed, out of breath. She turned around, nearly dropping her luggage.

"What is it, Cedric?" she asked, curious as to why a third year would run all that way to catch up with a first year. She waited for him to catch his breath before he spoke.

"You're leaving me alone with _those two_?" he asked as if the whole idea were simply preposterous. She knew he was speaking of Harry and Ron.

"What's wrong with _those two_?" she angrily questioned. Cedric looked taken aback. He looked at a wall next to him.

"Well, I don't have too much of a problem with Harry, it's-"

"Ron?"

"Yes, Ron," he confirmed. Hermione giggled and shook her head.

"You'll get over it. Besides, I'll see you when I get back. It's not like I'm leaving forever."

* * *

"Harry, wake up!"

Harry was jolted awake by a loud, obnoxious voice booming from down the stairs.

"Come on, Harry, wake up!"

He groggily reached for his round glasses, rolling out of his bed. Today was Christmas. To any other child, it would be a day to celebrate. But to Harry, there was nothing special. He never got any presents or gifts. Not ever. The Dursleys treated him horribly.

He walked past his snowy owl, Hedwig, giving her a scratch on the head. She hooted happily, nipping at his finger affectionately, before returning to preening herself. After he had woken up a bit more, he picked up the pace. He rushed over, for Ron was still calling for him, and smiled down at his friend.

"Happy Christmas, Harry." he greeted, smiling crookedly at the dark haired boy.

"Happy Christmas Ron...what are you wearing?" he pondered out loud, motioning toward the deep burgundy sweater he was wearing. Ron pinched a bit of the soft fabric, pulling it away from himself to get a better look at it. He grimaced slightly.

"My mum made it. Looks like you've got one, too," he said, beckoning Harry to come down. Harry felt joy rise up in his chest.

"I've got presents?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Ron exclaimed as if it were an obvious question. Harry grinned, racing down the steps and stared at the presents in awe. They were his presents! He grabbed a large parcel wrapped in plain brown paper, with a note wedged underneath the tied string. He carefully unstuck the note, and read it aloud to Ron.

"_Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you,_" Harry read, "_Use it well._" He stared at Ron ominously, who merely shrugged, shoving a few more _Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans_ in his mouth. Harry carefully untied the string, pushing away the paper to reveal some piece of cloth. It was folded, and looked old, but was soft as velvet.

"What is it?" Ron questioned, curious. Harry shrugged.

"Some kind of...cloak..." he said, trailing off. Ron smiled.

"Well, let's see then. Put it on!" he urged, interested to see how it would look. Harry nodded, swinging it over his shoulders. Ron gaped at what he saw.

"Woah!" he gasped, putting aside his Every Flavor Beans. Harry looked at him inquisitively, until he looked down. What he saw - was nothing!

"My body's gone!" he exclaimed. He wasn't frightened, nor concerned, merely excited.

"I know what that is," Ron said, amazed, "That's an Invisibility Cloak!" Ron cried out, a bit jealous. Harry looked down at his own body, giving it a spin.

"I'm invisible?" he said, nearly giggling in his own excitement.

"They're really rare. I wonder who gave it to you."

"There was no name," said Harry, as they stared at the ominous note together. "It just said..._'Use it well'_."

* * *

e

Late at night, in the Library, half of an arm was floating around, carrying a lantern. It floated ominously through the library until it reached a door.

_Restricted Section_.

Knowing it was in the right place, the arm reached out and unlocked the door. _Alohomora_ was not needed. The hand pushed open the door as quietly as possible, but this proved to be difficult. The door hadn't been used in years, and as it swung open, it let out a loud and long creak. The arm ignored the creaking, though, and moved on.

"_Famous Fire-Eaters...Fifteenth-Century Fiends..._" a voice hummed in the darkness. "Flamel. Nicholas Flamel...where _are_ you?"

The arm reached toward itself, pulling of a piece of cloth. It was the Invisibility Cloak, under it was Harry. He was searching the Restricted Section, just as Hermione had suggested. many books were chained to the shelves. He grabbed one of the chained books and opened it quickly. To Harry's surprise, and to his horror, something seemed to come from the pages. A face, as if behind the page, burst forth, yelling out in anger, trying to escape. Harry quickly slammed the book, shoving it back onto the shelf.

"Who's there?" a cracked voice barked. It was Filch. Harry grabbed his Invisibility Cloak, but didn't realize he'd set the lantern on top, and when he pulled out his Cloak, the lantern fell to the ground, glass smashed.

"I know you're in there! You can't hide."

Harry turned around to flee, but bumped into someone. He covered his mouth to muffle his shout, and realized it was someone he knew.

"Cedric!" Harry growled, "What are you _doing_ here?" Cedric didn't have time to respond, as Filch's lamp light was growing stronger. Cedric frantically looked back and forth, but Harry merely pulled Cedric under the cloak. Just in time. Filch walked around the corner just as they covered themselves, Mrs. Norris right behind. Cedric was tempted to ask what was the point of hiding under the cloak, but somehow, they passed right by Filch without being caught.

As soon as the left the library, the questioning began.

"What were you doing in there?"

"Me? What were you doing in there?"

"Did you find anything?"

"Did anyone see you?"

They both took deep breaths, staring each other down. But soon, they found themselves shaking with laughter, Cedric was leaning against the wall and Harry was clutching his stomach, doubled over. Once they calmed down, they walked together.

"So what's with that Cloak?" Cedric asked. He could tell it was no normal cloak. Harry grinned.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak. I got it this morning for Christmas!" Harry boasted, happy that his first ever Christmas present was a rare magical item. Cedric suddenly turned his head, motioning for Harry to put on the cloak over them again. They silently tip toed until they saw two Professors. Snape had Quirrell pinned to the wall.

"S-Severus, I-"

"You don't want me as your enemy, _Quirrell_," Snape threatened. Quirrell gulped.

"I d-don't know w-what you m-mean-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

Harry was breathing heavily, and one of them seemed to hear, because Quirrell glanced at their exact position. Snape caught this, turning to face them. Cedric placed his hand over Harry's mouth to silence the noise, as Snape slowly reached out to touch them. They backed up, and Snape's fingers closed on air. He stared wondrously at his hand for a moment, before returning to Quirrell.

"We'll have another little chat soon...when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie-"

"Professors."

Both teachers turned to face Filch, who had Harry's broken lantern.

"Yes, Filch?" Snape groaned.

"I found this," he held up the lantern, "in the Restricted Section. It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed."

Snape and Quirrell's faces filled with realization, and they ran off to find the missing student. Harry and Cedric opened a door, using the spell _Alohomora_ that Hermione taught them, and walked in.

What they found was a mirror.

* * *

"Ron! You've really got to see this!" Harry shouted, Cedric in pursuit. They didn't need to worry about being quiet, they were the only two Gryffindor first years remaining at the Castle. "Ron, you've gotta see this!" Harry tossed off the Invisibility Cloak, pulling back Ron's thick blankets.

"Ron, come on, get out of bed!" Harry urged. Ron groaned.

"Why?"

"There's something you've got to see!"

Together, the three boys rushed back to the room with the mirror.

"Come look, it's my parents!" Harry shouted over his shoulder. This surprised both Ron and Cedric, and they stepped in to have a good look.

"I only see us," Ron complained. Harry rolled his eyes, stepping out of the sight.

"Look in properly. There, you see them, don't you?"

"That's me!"

Harry was surprised by his answer, and even looked a little sad. But Ron continued.

"...only I'm Head Boy! And I'm holding the Quidditch Cup!" he yelled, "And bloody hell! I'm Quidditch _Captain_, too!"

Harry looked into the mirror, seeing his parents still.

"I look _good_. Harry, do you think this mirror tells the future?" Ron asked, curiously staring at his 'reflection'. Harry looked at his feet.

"How can it?" he said dejectedly, "both my parents are dead."

* * *

Soon, Ron returned to the Gryffindor Common Room. Cedric stayed behind with Harry, who was sitting, staring longingly at the mirror.

"Back _again_, Harry?"

Harry jumped, as did Cedric, and they both turned around to face who had come in. It was Dumbledore. Harry stood quickly, staring at Dumbledore guiltily. The old wizard merely smiled at the both of them.

"I see that you, like so many before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised," Dumbledore said, walking slowly closer. "I trust by now, you realize what it does."

At Harry and Cedric's confused, lost faces, he stepped forward.

"Let me give you a clue." He pointed at the mirror, a hand on Harry's shoulder. "The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is." Harry quickly caught on.

"So, then...it shows us what we want..._whatever_ we want?" Harry asked. Dumbledore thought on this.

"Yes...and no." Dumbledore gave Harry a moment to think, before explaining his answer. "It shows nothing more than deepest and most desperate desires of our hearts."

Cedric then knew why Harry saw what, or who, he saw.

"Now you, Harry, who have never known your family...you see them standing beside you." Harry nodded, understanding. "But remember this, Harry. This mirror gives us neither knowledge, or truth." He walked a few steps away, shaking his head sadly. "Men have wasted away in front of it. Even gone mad...that is why, tomorrow, it will be moved to a new home."

Harry looked at Dumbledore, clearly questioning his actions.

"And I must ask you...not to go looking for it again." Harry looked desperately at the mirror. "It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry...and forget to live."

Harry, though he didn't want to, promised Dumbledore he wouldn't search for it. Cedric looked into the mirror himself, and what he saw surprised him. Dumbledore saw Cedric, and walked to his side, but out of the mirror.

"Mr. Diggory..." he whispered, "If I may ask...what do _you_ see in the mirror?"

Cedric stared for a long moment, before he answered.

"...nothing."

* * *

Before long, it was warm weather and sun in the sky again, and Hermione had long since returned from her home with her parents. Cedric often found himself thinking of the Mirror of Erised, but never brought it up in front of the three first years he found himself following around and getting into trouble with. He was a table down from Harry and Ron, when Hermione came striding up to them, carrying a large book twice the size of her abdomen.

"I had you looking in the wrong section, How could I be so _stupid_?" she asked herself, as she slammed the enormous book onto the table. "I checked this out _weeks_ ago for a bit of light reading-"

"_This_ is light?" Ron asked in disbelief. Hermione only glared at him, before flipping through more pages. She gasped, prodding both boys in the arms, as Cedric came over to join them.

"Of course, here it is!" she exclaimed, reading from the passage. "_Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone._" All three boys looked at her strangely.

"The _what_?" Harry and Ron asked in unison. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly.

"Honestly, don't you three read?" she said, before explaining what this Sorcerer's Stone was. "_The Sorcerer's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It can turn any metal into pure gold and produce the elixir of life, which will make the drinker immortal._"

"Immortal?" Ron asked.

"It means you'll never die," Hermione explained, rolling her eyes once again. Ron was fuming about how he knew what it meant, but Cedric shushed him, letting her continue. "_The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist who, last year, celebrated his six hundred and sixty fifth birthday._" Cedric nodded.

"That's what Fluffy's guarding on the third floor, then," Cedric said. Hermione nodded. "That's what's under the trap door...the Sorcerer's Stone."

Hermione frowned, flipping through another few pages.

"I wish I knew more about it..." she trailed off. Harry looked at her confused face, and nodded.

"Hagrid seemed to know something about it, we can go and see him tonight."

* * *

The four of them raced out onto the grounds, sneaking over to Hagrid's hut. Muddy water sloshed in the grass from melted snow, splattering whenever their shoes hit the ground. When they reached Hagrid's door, they all pounded on it at once. Hagrid appeared within seconds, oven mitts on his enormous hands.

"Hagrid-"

"Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state ter entertain today." he said, closing the door hastily, but the children quickly spoke to try again.

"We know about the Sorcerer's Stone!" they chorused. Hagrid's door stopped just before it closed.

"Oh," was all Hagrid could say, and he let the four students in.

"We think Snape may be trying to steal it."

"Snape? Blimey, yer not still on about him, are yeh?"

"We know he's after the stone," Harry said, trying to make Hagrid understand, "we just don't know _why_." Hagrid shook his head.

"Snape is one of the Professors _protectin'_ the stone, he's not about ter steal it!" Cedric looked at Hagrid in disbelief, and Harry questioned him. "Yeh heard me right. Now be on yer way, I'm a bit preoccupied terday."

"Wait a minute." Cedric interrupted. "Snape is _one_ of the teachers?"

"Of course," Hermione said, realization dawning on her, "there are other things defending the stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments-"

"Tha's right. Waste o' bloody time if yer ask me." he chuckled to himself. "Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy! Ain't a soul knows how, 'cept for me and Dumbledore-I shouldn't have told you that, I shouldn't have told you that."

Everyone's attention was turned to a slight rattling from the pan sitting over the fire. Hagrid clapped his hands excitedly, making sure his oven mitts were safely in place, and plucked an extremely large egg from the pot. He could feel the heat even through the mitts, and he nearly dropped the egg twice before transporting it safely to the table. Harry stared in awe.

"Um, Hagrid...what exactly _is_ that?" Harry asked.

"That? Well, it's, err..." Luckily for Hagrid, he didn't have to explain as Ron cut in.

"I know what that is! But Hagrid, how did you _get_ one?" Hagrid put on a proud face.

"I won it, I did. Off a stranger I met down at the pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter o' fact..."

The egg began to crackle. Hermione backed away, and Cedric instinctively put an arm out in front of her. The crackling grew louder and louder, until pieces flew off in every direction, shattering like glass. One scaled, glossy winged arm poked out, then another, until what stood before the students was a baby dragon.

"Is that," Hermione said, with a long pause, "a dragon?"

"That's not just a dragon...that's a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother, Charlie, works with these in Romania!" Ron said, a slight prideful tone to his voice. Hagrid was tearing up.

"I'nt he _beautiful_? Oh, bless 'im, he knows his 'mummy'!" he said, scratching the dragon under the chin. "Well, 'ello, Norbert!" Harry looked at Hagrid as if he'd lost his mind.

"Norbert?"

"Well, he's gotta have a name, don' he?"

Suddenly, 'Norbert' hiccuped, sending flames up Hagrid's beard. Hagrid patted the flames quickly, before they spread, and smiled down at the dragon. But he wasn't smiling for long, because he seemed to see something, or rather in this case _someone_, through his window.

"Who's that?" The four students followed his gaze to see a sleek head of blonde hair, scurrying off.

"Malfoy." Harry spat the name like it was a bad taste on his tongue.

* * *

"Hagrid always wanted a dragon. Told me so the first time I met him." Harry told the other three. Ron snorted.

"It's crazy. And what's worse, _Malfoy_ knows!" Cedric looked puzzled.

"I don't understand," he asked the first years, "Is that bad?"

"It's bad," Ron gulped, seeing a very stern McGonagall standing with a candle, Malfoy poking out from behind her, grinning smugly. The five students followed McGonagall into her classroom.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing..." she began, stricter than ever, "...gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions..." she said, eying the four of them, "fifty points will be taken from your Houses." The four gasped.

"Fifty!" Harry half shouted, outraged. McGongagall's eyebrows furrowed further.

"Each," she scolded, extending the punishment. "And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention."

The smug smirk on Malfoy's face fell quickly at that statement.

"Excuse me, Professor," he gained her attention, "perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said the _five_ of us."

"No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, honorable as your intentions were, you, too were still out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention."

Malfoy scowled, glancing over at the four of them. Ron was trying to hide his obviously pleased smirk, as was Harry, while Hermione looked as though she might pass out any second now. Cedric saw this and was prepared to catch her.

* * *

It was nearly midnight, and all of them were extremely exhausted. Cedric was faring much better, but he was older. Filch was leading them out onto the grounds, a foul smile on his face revealing his black teeth.

"A pity they let the old punishments die," Filch said with a small sigh, "Was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeon." Malfoy whimpered and shoved both hands in his pockets. "God, I miss the screaming."

To their surprise, Filch led them straight back to Hagrid's hut. They didn't quite see how this was detention.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight," Filch informed them, "He's got a little job to do inside the Forbidden Forest."

Cedric realized how this was detention. The Forbidden Forest was obviously forbidden for a reason, and most students assumed something evil and deadly was concealed behind those many trees. Hermione, however, was more concerned with Hagrid. He didn't look very happy, not happy at all. He looked like crying.

"A sorry lot, this, Hagrid." Filch said as a greeting. Hagrid remained silent, carrying a large crossbow in his hands. "Oh, good god, you're not still on about that bloody _dragon_, are you?" Hagrid inhaled deeply, before informing the chlidren of the problem.

"Norbert's gone." he said, voice wavering, "Dumbledore sent him off to Romania. To live in a colony."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Hermione reasoned, "he'll be with his own kind."

"Yeah, well, what if he don' _like_ Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him?" Hagrid questioned, about to cry. "He's only a baby, after all-"

"Oh, for god's sake, pull yourself together. You're goin' into the Forest, after all." Filch scolded. "Got to have your wits about you..."

"The Forest?" Malfoy cried, "I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there!" Filch turned to look at him, but this didn't bother Malfoy. "Students aren't allowed in there. And there are-"

A long, mournful howling noise echoed from deep within the Forest.

"-werewolves!" Filch scowled evilly.

"Ah, there's more than werewolves in those trees...you can be sure of that." The children looked amongst themselves, worried. "Nighty-night." They watched Filch stalk away, Mrs. Norris behind him like always. Hagrid gave them a grim look and a nod.

"Right. Let's go."

The five students followed Hagrid into the Forest, an eerie fog surrounding them. Hermione felt Cedric pull her closer to him. She wasn't sure if it was because he was scared, or to try and protect her, but she wasn't complaining. Hagrid's mastiff, Fang, led the way, sniffing the ground as they walked a few feet behind him.

Soon, they came across a gnarled, deformed tree. It was blackened in the dark of the night, but that wasn't what scared the children. It was the gooey, silvery puddle lying at it's base. Hagrid squatted on the ground, running two large fingers through the gooey substance. He examined it thoroughly.

"Uh, Hagrid," Harry asked warily, "what _is_ that?" He stared at the silver goo, slightly disturbed. Hagrid looked at him grimly.

"What we're here for. See that?" he said, holding up the silver-coated fingers, "that's unicorn blood, that is. I found one, dead, a few weeks ago. Now," he warned them, "This one's been hurt bad by somethin'. So," he instructed, "it's our job to go and find the poor beast."

The children, especially Hermione, clutched their hands together in fear.

"Ron, you'll be comin' wit me," Hagrid ordered. "Harry you'll go with Malfoy. Hermione, you go with this one here," he said, referring to Cedric. Malfoy tensed up.

"Okay, then I get Fang," he said, no longer afraid. Hagrid shrugged.

"Fine. Just so's yeh know, he's a bloody coward."

Malfoy's confident smile was wiped right off his face, as a long whine emitted from Fang's mouth. After going their separate ways, it was down to the pairs.

Cedric and Hermione walked hand in hand, a large lantern in Cedric's free hand. Hermione squeezed tightly, but Cedric didn't notice. He was too scared. They could hear Harry and Malfoy arguments echoing through the empty forest.

"C-Cedric..." Hermione whimpered, hearing a twig snap somewhere. Cedric nodded to show his acknowledgment, but said nothing. "I-I'm scared..." Cedric still said nothing, but led Hermione into a small clearing that dipped down lower than the rest of the forest floor. It had no trees in it, but was surrounded by many of them. It seemed quite peaceful. But to the two of them, something was horribly wrong.

Before long, Harry and Malfoy showed up in the same clearing. Malfoy didn't show it, but he was happy not to be 'alone' anymore. Then, Fang growled deeply.

"What is it, Fang?" Harry whispered, but Malfoy was staring straight ahead, petrified with fear. Cedric, Harry, and Hermione looked to what he was staring at, and saw a terrifying sight. There, on the forest floor, was a dead unicorn. That, however, wasn't what bothered the students. It was the cloaked figure bent over the beast's neck. Harry hissed through his teeth, touching his scar. To Harry, it burned like nothing else had burned him before. The figure sucking the unicorn's blood lifted it's head, silver flowing from it's mouth and dripping down it's chin. It gave a might growl, shaking Hermione to her core.

Malfoy screamed, turning around and fleeing, with Fang in hot pursuit, tail between his legs. Hermione trembled, clutching Cedric's sleeve.

The figure hissed at them, removing it's teeth from the unicorn and floating, as though it had no legs. But it seemed as though it did have legs, for it stopped floating and landed on them. The three backed up, until Harry tripped over a tree root, falling on his behind. The figure was approaching, closer and closer, but suddenly, a sound was gaining on them. It sounded like a horse's hooves. The dark figure's head snapped toward the noise, and suddenly, a half man, half horse beast, called a Centaur, galloped in, rearing on it's hind legs to ward off the shadowy person. It screeched in fear, and flew off into the fog.

"Harry Potter, you must leave."

The centaur, it's skin and fur nearly matching the Forest's dark blue glow, walked up to the trio. "You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you."

"But what was that thing you saves us from?" Harry asked. The centaur's face grew angry.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn," he said, gazing at the poor dead horse like creature, "drinking the blood of one will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death...but at a terrible price." He trailed off, looking once again at the dead beast. "For you have slain something so pure, that from the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life...a cursed life."

"Who would choose such a life...?" Harry asked, utterly horrified at the mere thought.

"Can you think of no one?" The Centaur asked. Harry's eyes widened, and Cedric and Hermione understood.

"Do you mean to say...that thing that killed the unicorn," Harry said, pausing, "that was drinking it's blood...that was Voldemort?"

The Centaur lowered it's head to make eye contact with Harry.

"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very _moment_, Mr. Potter?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone..." Hermione answered, trailing off. At that moment, Malfoy returned with Hagrid and Ron.

"Harry, Hermione!" Ron cried, happy to see them safe. Hagrid nodded at the Centaur.

"Hello there, Firenze. See yeh've met our young Mr. Potter." he said, lowering his crossbow. "Alright, there, Harry? Hermione, Cedric?" Harry gave a small nod, as did Hermione and Cedric.

"Harry Potter," The Centaur, who was named Firenze, they discovered, said, "This is where I leave you. You're safe now...good luck." Firenze trotted away from them, nodding at Cedric and Hermione.

* * *

Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room, with Cedric, who they gave permission to enter under the condition that it be extremely important. Hermione was staring at Harry, who was standing by the fireplace.

"You mean, You-Know-Who is out there, _right now_, in the Forest?"

"But he's weak," Cedric pointed out, "he's living off the unicorns."

"Don't you see? We had it wrong!" Harry explained. "Snape doesn't want the Stone for himself, he wants it for Voldemort! With the elixir of life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll..." Harry trailed off uncertainly, "...he'll come back."

"But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to..._kill_ you, do you?" Ron asked his best friend, worried for his well being. Harry pondered this.

"I think if he had the chance, he might've tried to kill me tonight." Ron gulped in fear.

"And to think I've been worrying about my Potions final-"

"Hang on a minute," Hermione interjected, "We're forgetting one thing."

Cedric realized it, but the other two did not.

"Who's the _one_ wizard Voldemort's always feared?" Both looked at each other. "Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore is around, Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore is around, you can't be touched."

* * *

"I'd always heard Hogwarts end-of-year exams were _frightful_, but I found that rather enjoyable."

"Speak for yourself," Ron said to the brainy girl. He glanced at Harry, who was clutching at his forehead. "Alright there, Harry?"

Cedric heard them talking, and caught up with them. He looked worriedly at Harry.

"It's happened before," He said, making his presence known. Harry shook his head.

"Not like this..." he doubled over in pain once again, Ron bracing him to make sure he didn't fall over.

"Perhaps you should see the Nurse?" he suggested. Hermione and Cedric agreed that this would be the best choice, but Harry, once again, shook his head.

"I think it's a warning...it means danger's coming."

Once the four students found themselves out of the small courtyard, Cedric spotted Hagrid sitting in front of his hut, playing a peculiar flute-like instrument. Harry smacked his own forehead.

"Of course, why didn't I see it before?" Harry said, before taking off toward the hut. Ron asked what was the matter. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just _happens_ to have one? I mean," he stuttered, "how many people walk around with dragon eggs in their pocket?"

They sprinted up to the large bearded man and the questions bombarded him.

"Hagrid, who gave ou the dragon egg? What did he look like?" Hagrid stopped playing his instrument and answered honestly.

"I dunno, I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."

"This stranger, though," Cedric broke in, "You and he must have talked?" Ron and Harry looked at Cedric and realized what a good question it was.

"Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after, I told him, I said 'After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem'."

"Was he interested in Fluffy?" Cedric questioned further. Hagrid scoffed.

"Well, o' course he was interested in Fluffy. How often do you come across a three-headed dog? Even if you're in the trade?" Hagrid chuckled to himself, "But I told him, I said 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him'. Take Fluffy, for example. Play him a bit of music and he'll fall straight asleep."

The four looked amongst themselves, excited at the good piece of information he'd told them.

"I shouldn't have told yeh that."

They all raced away, Hagrid calling after them. They ran straight into the castle, and followed Harry's lead, which seemed to be going toward Professor McGonagall's classroom. They ran right in, luckily no class was being held. There was, however, a ghostly woman seated in one of the desks, writing something. Harry ignored the ghost, running for McGonagall.

"We have to see Professor Dumbledore. Immediately!" Harry said between gasps of breath. She, however, gave them a sorry look.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London."

"He's gone? Now? But this is important!" Cedric shouted, "This is about the Sorcerer's stone!"

McGonagall looked up from her work, staring gravely at them.

"How do you know-"

"Someone's going to try and steal it!" Harry interrupted her, not wanting to explain how he came to know of the stone. She merely glared at them, and spoke in a scolding tone.

"I don't know how you four found out about the Stone, but I assure you, it is perfectly well protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? _Quietly_?"

The four walked away, thinking. Harry waited until they exited her classroom, before he spoke again.

"That was no stranger Hagrid met, it was Snape," he whispered to the other three. Cedric nodded, catching on.

"Which means," the only Hufflepuff of the group said, "he knows how to get past Fluffy. And with Dumbledore gone-" he was cut off by a low and slow voice.

"Good afternoon."

They could recognize that voice anywhere. They turned around to see the head of the Slytherin House, Snape, in the flesh.

"Now, what would three young Gryffindors, and one Hufflepuff, such as yourselves be inside...on a day like this?" he asked, highly suspicious. Cedric just froze up, while Hermione did her very best to explain.

"I-I...Uh, w-w-we we were just-"

"You ought to be careful," Snape said to the stuttering girl while raising an eyebrow. "People will think you're..." his glare moved from Hermione to Harry, and his eyebrows furrowed, "...up to something."

With that, Snape walked away, his robes billowing behind him. Hermione let out a sigh.

"Now what do we do?" Cedric asked under his breath, so absolutely no one could hear him. Harry sighed, blinking.

"We go to the trap door." he said. "Tonight."

* * *

It was late, very late at night, when the three first years, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, decided it the best time to sneak out of the Gryffindor common room. They were dressed in normal muggle clothes, ready to go to the trap door. Cedric was waiting just inside of their Common Room entrance. They all hurried down the stairs, but saw Neville's pet toad, Trevor, on the arm rest of one of the arm chairs.

"Trevor," Harry pointed out. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Trevor, shh, go! You shouldn't be here!" Ron said in a hushed tone.

"Neither should you," said a voice from in the chair. Neville stood from the chair. "You're sneaking out again, aren't you?"

"Now, Neville, listen. We're-"

"No!" he said, effectively hushing Harry, "I won't let you! You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again. I'll..." he trailed off, putting up both fists, "I-I'll fight you!" Before anyone could do anything, Hermione pulled out her wand.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this. _Pretificus Totalus_."

At once, Neville's body seized up, unable to move, and his body fell to the floor with a dull thud. Cedric walked over, who was hidden from Neville's sight.

"Nice, Hermione," he said, patting her on the shoulder. Ron grimaced.

"You're a little scary sometimes...you know that?" he said as she calmly put away her wand. "Brilliant...but scary."

Harry said nothing, but beckoned them to follow him. As they passed Neville's body, they all apologized to him, except Cedric.

"It's for your own good, you know."

* * *

"Ow! You stood on my foot!"

"Sorry."

Voices from underneath the Invisibility Cloak was all that anyone else would be able to hear. They couldn't see the four, who all miraculously fit under the Cloak at once. Hermione used the unlocking spell, _Alohomora_, on the door once more, before they stepped in, preparing for the giant dog. But Fluffy was asleep, to their surprise.

"Wait a minute," Ron said, "he's-"

The Cloak was blown away by the monstrous dog's breath, revealing the four students.

"-snoring," Harry finished for him. Harry looked over toward the window. "Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp," he said, as everyone finally took notice of the musical instrument that was plucking it's own strings. Cedric looked at the trap door, nudged Hermione, and pointed.

"We'll have to move it's paw," saw Hermione, thanking Cedric for noticing. "Come on now," she said, taking position. "Push."

The paw gradually moved, claws scraping against the wood. The dog twitched in it's sleep, but then quickly returned to it's slumber. Cedric reached down to grab the metal handle and pulled open the door. They all kneeled down and stared into the dark abyss.

"I'll go first," Harry volunteered, "Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves _out_." Cedric lifted his head.

"Does it seem a bit...quiet to you?" he said to the first years. Hermione stared at them.

"The harp. It's stopped playing-"

"Uugh!" Ron cried out in disgust, some white foam liquid landing on his shoulder. But Cedric realized what this meant, and he looked up.

"Jump!" Cedric screamed, as Fluffy tore the door from it's hinges. This gave them enough time to escape.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron, happy he hadn't hurt himself, but he cried out in horror as the plant's vines began to slither toward them, seizing them by their limbs. Cedric began to squirm to free himself, and the two boys followed his example.

"Stop moving, all three of you!" Hermione commanded, "This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it'll only kill you faster."

"Kill us faster!" Ron cried, "_Now_ I can relax!" he said, struggling harder. Cedric knew how intelligent Hermione was, so he trusted her, and began to relax. Hermione looked at Cedric gratefully, and at Ron sadly. But her stares didn't last long, because she was soon sucked beneath the plant, and Cedric soon followed.

Cedric's feet hit the ground, and he rushed over to Hermione.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!" she said, shoving herself out of his arms. "Just relax!" she shouted up at Harry and Ron.

"Hermione? Where are you?" Harry called, worried.

"Do what I say," she called back, "trust me!" Sure enough, as Harry relaxed, they could see his feet poke out. But Ron saw Harry disappear into the plant, and this only scared him further. As soon as Harry hit the ground, Hermione went up to him. "He's not relaxing, is he?"

"Apparently not," Cedric said, as they listened to Ron's terrified screams. "We've got to do something!"

"But what?" Harry said, just as frantic.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare...it's deadly fun..." Hermione trailed off, trying to remember the short rhyme, "...but will sulk in the sun, that's right! Devil's Snare hates sunlight!" she cried, whipping out her wand. "_Lumus Solem_!"

Beams of sunlight burst forth from her wand, blasting the Devil's Snare and Ron quickly fell through the gap it created. Ron, covered in sweat, sighed.

"Lucky we didn't panic," Ron said, nodding. Harry and Hermione stared at him.

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," he corrected him. Cedric glared at Ron for not trusting the girl, but a small fluttering noise caught his ear.

"What is that?" Hermione said, slowly approaching the direction she heard it from. Cedric walked ahead of her.

"I don't know," the Hufflepuff said, "Sounds like wings."

Soon, they came across a door, and upon opening, they found a seemingly empty room filled only with pillars. But as they looked above them, they saw hundreds of bug-like things with wings. Hermione stared in awe.

"Curious...I've never seen birds like these-"

"They're not birds...they're _keys_!" Harry corrected. Cedric interrupted.

"And I'll bet one of them fits that door." They followed his stare, and saw a short door. Harry walked up to a broom, suspiciously floating in front of them. Ron pulled out his wand, going to try the _Alohomora_ spell.

"Alohomora!" he said, but it had no effect. "It was worth a try."

Hermione growled in frustration, throwing her arms up.

"What do we do? There must be a thousand keys!" she cried, close to giving up. Ron shrugged.

"Look for a big, old fashioned one, probably rusted like the doorknob." Cedric saw exactly what they were looking for.

"There, Harry, I see it! The one with the broken wing." Sure enough, there it was, wings rounder than the others, shorter. Harry reached out for the broom, ready to try and catch the key, but hesitated.

"It's too simple."

"Go on, Harry!" Ron shouted, "If Snape could catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest Seeker in a century!" Harry nodded. Cedric scoffed.

"I'm a Seeker too, you know."

They all looked at him, and just as he'd hoped, Hermione looked impressed. Then she had to open her mouth.

"Then you'll go get the key, Cedric." she said, nodding. Cedric groaned, but obliged. But as soon as his fingers so much as brushed against the handle, the dust blowing away, the keys dove straight for him. Cedric shouted, mounting the broom and swatting away keys as effectively as he could. He lifted off into the air, eyes darting back and forth, until he found the key again. The correct key, however, was trying to escape Cedric, not attack. This made things a bit easier for him.

Before long, he felt his long fingers close over rusted metal, and he threw it down to Hermione. She had a bit of trouble, but finally, she fit the key in the lock, opening it. She, Harry and Ron ran in, holding the door open for Cedric. He zoomed in, and they safely closed the door with no keys let in.

They kept walking, determined to find Snape. They hadn't even walked for three minutes, before they entered another room. This room, however, was filled with strange stone figures. As they progressed, Cedric recognized these as chess pieces.

"I don't like this..." Hermione whimpered, looking around the dark room. "I don't like this at all." Harry looked around the grim room.

"Where are we? A graveyard..." he whispered, but Ron shook his head.

"This is no graveyard..." he said, walking forward onto the black and white checkered marble floor. "...it's a chessboard."

The moment he stepped onto the board, it was as if lights were switched on. The radiance illuminated the chessboard, torches were lit all along the sides, adding to the light.

"There's the door!" Cedric shouted, pointing past the hunched pawns and players. Sure enough, the heavily bolted door was just barely visible. They began to walk forward, but when they came within a few feet of the pawns, they drew their swords, blocking their path. They all backed up, careful not to fall forward, and the pawns returned their swords to their hidden sheaths. Hermione sighed exasperatedly.

"Now what do we do?" she cried frustratedly.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron said to her, "We've got to play our way across the room."

"You're the wizard's chess expert, Ron...tell us what to do."

They all looked at Cedric, as if he were crazy for telling a first year to tell him what to do. He rolled his eyes, pointed at the door, and looked away.

"Alright, Harry, you take that empty pawn place. Hermione, you'll be the queen-side castle. Cedric, you take the bishop's place." They all nodded, trusting his chess skill. "As for me..." he trailed off, "I'll be a knight."

"What, you get the knight? Why can't I?" Cedric cried, jealous that Ron get such a valiant position. Ron said nothing, only moving to mount the enormous stone horse.

"Well, white moves first. And then...we play."

No sooner than those words came out of his mouth did the white side move. One of their pawns slid a space forward. ROn analyzed the situation quickly, but carefully, deciding the best action.

"Ron," Hermione said anxiously, interrupting his thoughts, "You don't suppose this is going to be like..._real_ wizard's chess, do you?"

Ron pondered this fact he missed, and tested it. He pointed to a pawn.

"You there, D-5!"

The black pawn slid across the floor like the white, moving to the commanded position. It was now settled diagonally from the moved white pawn. As soon as it stopped moving, the white pawn drew both swords, pulling them back, and with a mighty heave, he smashed the black pawn into pieces. This confirmed Hermione's worries.

"Yes, Hermione." he said, taking in a deep breath, "I think this is gonna be _exactly_ like wizard's chess."

Ron was calling out commands like a madman.

"Castle to E-4!"

"Pawn to C-3!"

Each move he called was obliterated, completely smashed by their opponent. They were losing badly. The opposite king was not far from Cedric's position now. Ron looked widly around the board deciphering each move and it's possible outcomes, grimly frowning. Cedric looked at Ron, then the remaining spaces.

"Wait a minute..."

"You understand, right, Cedric?" Ron said in a low tone. "Once I make my move, the queen will take me...then you're free to check the King."

"No. Ron, no!" Harry cried from his position, the only pawn remaining, but powerless to move. Hermione was near tears.

"What is it?" she whimpered, tone wavering.

"He's going to sacrifice himself, Hermione." Cedric informed. Though he knew next to nothing of chess, he knew what this all meant.

"No, you can't!" she screamed, a few tears actually leaking. "There must be another way-"

"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that stone or not?" Ron snarled at her, though the tone was unintentional. Hermione gasped, biting her lip as more tears flowed. Ron cursed under his breath, and Cedric glared. Ron sighed, before opening his mouth.

"Knight to H-3."

Hermione choked out a sob, and Cedric longed to go and comfort her, hold her in his arms, let her know it would be okay, but he couldn't. Moving from his spot would mean cheating. Who knows what their opponent might do then. Ron's horse slid forward, agonizingly slow, to the position. The white queen then turned in it's place, and proceeded to move forward. Ron's face was painfully frightened, but it was too late. He decided his own fate. The queen reached him. The queen took her scepter, stabbing it through the horse's body. Ron let out a horrible yell, but it was nearly inaudible behind the breaking and crumbling of stone. He fell to the marble chessboard, unconscious. Hermione made a move to help Ron.

"NO! Don't move!" Harry shouted, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Tears were now flowing non stop down her lovely face, reddening it. "Don't forget, we're still playing...Cedric, go."

Cedric nodded, walking to the correct position...

"Checkmate."

The king froze, dropping his magnificent sword.

They'd won. They'd won the game, and were able to proceed. Hermione sobbed, and fell to the ground. Fainted. Cedric rushed to her side. Harry made a move to help her as well, but Cedric stopped him.

"Go, Harry, I've got her. Somehow I know...you're the one supposed to go in there." he said, cradling Hermione. "Not me, not Ron, not Hermione...you." And with that, Harry turned around and ran to the door.

That was the last thing Cedric saw before black took over his senses.

* * *

Cedric woke up in the Hogwarts hospital wing, a sharp pain in his arm and chest. He blinked furiously, trying to rid his vision of the after-sleep blur, and he looked to both sides. On his right, Harry lied unconscious in a hospital bed, gifts and get-well cards littered the foot of his bed. To his right, Ron. Across the room from him directly, Hermione. He tried to sit up, to go to her and make sure she was alright, but he found he couldn't even lift his arms.

"Good afternoon, Cedric."

He turned his head to see Dumbledore. The old, wise wizard walked slowly to him.

"Quite the adventure the four of you had." the wise old wizard whispered, amused, "How are you feeling?" Cedric groaned in response.

"I can't sit up...it hurts too much," he croaked. His eyes widened, realizing that Hermione might have the same symptoms. "How's Hermione? Is she okay? What happened to her?"

"Calm yourself, Cedric. Miss Granger is completely fine. Once you've healed, you may get out of bed," he said. Cedric took a deep breath, calming his nerves.

"Professor, after I blacked out...what happened?" he asked, curious. "What happened with the stone?" Dumbledore gave him a smile, a twinkle in his eyes.

"The stone was destroyed."

Cedric's jaw dropped. They went through all that trouble only to have it be destroyed? But he thought about this, and realized more people were hurt over it than necessary. He nodded in understanding, and Dumbledore continues.

"What happened beyond the door stays with Harry. He will tell you when the time is right."

* * *

It was the final day of the school year. It was sweltering hot, and all the students were boiling, and to add to the heat, the students were still expected to wear their uniforms as well as a traditional year-graduation black hat. But in the Great Hall, they could drink glass upon glass upon glass of ice cold pumpkin juice to cool down. The Hufflepuffs didn't like how Cedric spent more time with the three Gryffindor first years than he did with his own house, but he couldn't care less. In all his three years of Hogwarts, he'd never had such good friends as these.

But soon, he had to leave the Gryffindor table, as it was time to announce who had won the House Cup. McGonagall tapped her glass goblet with a spoon, and everyone settled at their own tables. Dumbledore stood and spoke.

"Another year gone." he said, waving his arms. "And now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus;" he said. The Slytherin whispered amongst themselves.

"In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve points." Dull applause was granted the House is respect. "In third place, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty two points." More dull applause. "In second place, Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty six points." The applause for Ravenclaw was matched in dullness with Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, but a few whoops from the Ravenclaws were heard. "And in first place, with four hundred and seventy two points, Slytherin House."

A roar of clapping and cheers erupted from the Slytherin table, and Ron could clearly see Malfoy glaring at him smugly. But it quieted down once Dumbledore spoke again.

"Yes, well done, Slytherin. Well done. However," he said, pausing for effect, "recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award."

Excited whispers escaped the student's mouths, but Dumbledore ignored these.

"To Miss Hermione Granger," Cedric smiled. Hermione was getting what she deserved, "for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril...fifty points."

Applause and cheering was loud from the Gryffindor table, and only Cedric from the Hufflepuff table. The others of his House only glared at him.

"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of wizard's chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years...fifty points."

Ron got the same reaction from his House, and from Cedric, though a bit more laid back than Hermione's.

"Third, to Mr. Harry Potter," he said, "for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House...seventy points."

A deafening roar of applause came from the many students now. Many clapped Harry on the back.

"And fourth, to Mr. Cedric Diggory," Cedric looked up from hearing his name, his eyes widened in disbelief, "for House integrity, which is one of Hogwarts most important, but most neglected goals, I award the Hufflepuff House...one hundred points."

Cedric had never felt happier in his life. He had gotten loads of points for his House just for befriending three Gryffindors.

"And again, to Mr. Diggory, for year-level integrity, I award him...thirty points."

And even more points because they were on different year levels!

"We're tied with Hufflepuff!" Hermione said, waving at Cedric.

"And finally," Dumbledore said, "it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies. But a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award ten points...to Neville Longbottom."

Neville's blank face looked like it hadn't even registered what Dumbledore had said. Gryffindors clapped him on the back and congratulated him.

"Assuming that my calculations are correct," Dumbledore said, glancing at the tapestries and curtains, "I believe that a change in decorations is in order."

Without another word, he raised his hands, and as if blown in the wind, the hanging tapestries wavered, changing from an emerald green to a deep red.

"Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"

The Gryffindors stood leaping wildly for joy. They all took off their long black hats, laughed and threw them in the air. The other Houses copied, save for Slytherin. Cedric felt a few of his Hufflepuff House mates clap him on the back a bit guiltily, and they laughed as well.

* * *

Before long, it was time for the Students to set off to head home for the summer. Cedric looked at Harry, who seemed to want to stay if it cost him a limb, but the dark haired boy grudgingly stood, waiting for his chance to board the Hogwarts express. Hagrid stood, rallying all children onto the trail.

"Come on now, hurry up! Yeh'll be late!" he called at them, ushering them onto the train. "Train's leavin', go on!" Hermione waved to Hagrid, flashing him a smile, before boarding. Cedric grinned, following her. As he, Ron and Hermione grabbed a compartment, Harry went to say a final farewell to Hagrid, who he had grown quite close to.

"Harry must be sad," Hermione sad, looking out the window at him. Cedric glanced at Harry, but preferred not to remove Hermione from his sight.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Harry lives with his Aunt and Uncle. They're terrible people, they are," Ron said, explaining for her. "Underfeeding him, mistreating him...why, Harry's never gotten a present before in his life until this past Christmas!"

Cedric frowned. That would be something he wouldn't want to return to. It made him feel grateful for his parents, and he felt bad for all the times he'd falsely said that he hated them. Cedric saw Harry get on the train, and shortly after, joined them in the compartment. He decided it would be best not to bring his family up.

But suddenly, Hermione began to cry. Cedric leaped to his feet, kneeling down by her.

"What's the matter, Hermione?" he said worriedly. She sniffled, wiping some tears with her sleeve.

"I'll miss you...all of you..." she whined. Cedric smiled, wrapping his considerably larger arms around her. He rubbed his hand on her back soothingly and let her cry on his shoulder.

"I'll miss you, too, Hermione...and the both of you as well," he said, looking at Harry and Ron. "It's only three months! And remember this," he said. Hermione looked up at him hopefully.

"We'll always be friends."

* * *

**Well, there you go! Second chapter. Took me a while, this one.**

**This story is obviously far from over. I plan on doing the whole series. THE WHOLE DAMN SERIES.**

**But I most likely won't be updating until around next weekend, because I have to focus on school too.**

**Don't be sad.**

**Just enjoy this SUPER long chapter. Bye bye! See you next time!**

**~China**


	3. Author's Note

**Ok, I have NO idea what happened. with it, but fanfiction screwed up chapter two.**

**All my little section divider thingies that look like (~*~) aren't showing up! Is it showing up for you guys?**

**Once I finish, I'll replace this author's note with chapter three. Sorry for the disappointment!**

**Oh, and don't review. Send me a PM. That way, once I replace this with chapter three, you can still review.  
**

**~China!**


End file.
